Boat propelling means



Dec. 5, 1933. c J NOCK 1,937,907

BOAT PROPELL ING MEANS Filed May 12, 1932 I comm INVENTOR CECIL J NOCK A TORNEY Patented Dec. 5. 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOAT PROPELLING ,IVIEANS Cecil John Nook, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application May 1 2, 1932. Serial No. 610,794

6 Claims. (01. 115-28) This invention relates to boat propelling means same has been thrown to position to provide a and in particular to one especially adapted to toy reverse drive, the yieldable spring member being boats,small boats and large vessels, more particushown in its squeezed position or the position it larly to inboard and outboard motors and arwould assume during the change from forward to ranged to operate by the movement of a vane reverse drive of the mechanism parts. 60

to carry out the propelling action. Figure 4 is a top plan view of a propelling mem- A most important object of my invention is to ber employing a plurality of blades, the posiprovide means whereby the drive may be retion illustrated being at a point during the travel versed without changing the direction of drive of the blades'in a propelling movement.

of the engine or motive power means, it being Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of 65 possible in the case of toy boats to change the Figure 4 illustrating the construction of the blade direction of propulsion without stopping the moholding frame. tor. Figure 6 is a plan view of a modified form of pro- A still further and equally important object of pelling member.

1 my invention is to provide a yieldable spring de- Figure 7 is a view in elevation of the propeller 70 vice between the driving means and the propeller illustrated in Figure 6.

member which will permit change of direction of Referring to the drawing in detail, 5 indicates propulsion without altering the direction of rotaa vessel of any description, toy or otherwise, on

tion of the power member and which will be equalwhich is mounted a frame 6 in which is supported,

ly efficient when applied to small toy boats as well the propelling agent driving mechanism, it being 75 as larger vessels. understood that the illustration of the device is A still further object of my inventionis the proin connection with toy boats and hence a spring vision of driving blades which make for more efoperated motor is employed but it is to be distinctficient drive than is obtained through the use of ly understood that the drive shaft of the mechathe ordinary screw propeller, the blades affordnism can be driven from any suitable source of ing a more direct drive as the blades in their pro-- power such as an engine of the type employed pelling action travelling from a beam to aft and in marine vessels, without altering the scope of one or more are employed while the other blades my invention. 1 are returning to the drive starting position. The In the frame 6 is journalled the key wind shaft 30 propelling agent is so arranged that its action will or stem '7, one end of which is squared for the be reversed when reverse drive of the vessel is reception of awinding key whereby thespring desired and the full driving action of the vanes 8 having one end attached to said stem 7 and will be taken advantage of in either forward or the opposite end attached as at 9 to the frame rearward propulsion. Use may also be made of 6 may be wound up preparatory to driving the 35 a plurality of blades mounted at right angles to drive gear 10 mounted on the shaft 11. This each other so that when one blade is travelling gear 10 meshes with a pinion 11 mounted on from abeam to aft, the other blade goes from aft a shaft 12 which, in turn, carries the gear 13 to abeam and provides a more continual form of meshing with a pinion 14 on the shaft 15. This propulsion than a single bladed driver. shaft 15 also carries the gear 16 which meshes 40 Changes d Variations maybe made in the with and drives the pinion 1'] mounted on the construction shown and described without departmain driveshaft 18. The main drive shaft 18 ing from the principles of the invention or sacextends above the casing 6 and is provided with rificing its chief advantages; hence such invention an eccentric portion 19 to which is secured one 1 is not to be confined to the structures shown in end 20 of a drive and reversing bar 21 whose 45 the accompanying drawing, in which; 1 7 center portion is C-shaped as at 22, provided at Figure 1 is a plan view of a boat propelling one side with an opening 23 so that, as illustrated means constructed in accordance with my invenin Figure 3, the 0 portion 22 may yield when tion, the covering being omitted for the purpose the eccentric portion 24 of the vertical propeller of illustrating the working parts of my invention. shaft 25 is revolved through the medium of the 50 Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the propelling handle 26 to change the direction of drive of the means illustrated in Figure 1 showing'the relative vessel. arrangement of the parts and how the device may The end of the member 21 is connected to the be operated as an outboard motor. eccentric portion 24 and is arranged to oscillate Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration showthe same through an arc of 90 degrees, as illus- 55 ing the position of the driving vane when the trated in Figure 1, while the eccentric 19 of the drive shaft 18 revolves in one direction continuously. The upper end of the shaft 13 is provided with a fly wheel 2'7 for the purpose of carrying the eccentric drive member 21 over its points of dead center. In driving the mechanism by motor power or from an engine, the gearing and spring mechanism described would be dispensed with and the drive to the main drive shaft 18 would be taken directly from thesource of power in any suitable and well known manner.

The shaft 25 is supported in suitable brackets 28, its lower end being beneath the surface of the water and, as illustrated in Figure 2, is curved as at 29 to provide the upstanding portion 30 on which is pivoted, the vane 31 provided with the ears 32 which encompass the upstanding portion 30 of the shaft and permit free swinging movement of the vane 31 back and forth as the shaft 25 is oscillated by the eccentric drive member 21. The swinging movement of the vane 31 is arrested by the vane limit plate 33 which is secured to the shaft 25 and is provided with the V-shaped cut-out 34 against the edges of which the vanes 31 move. From inspection of Figure 1 it will be noted that when the vane 31 is oscillated, it will push the water sidewise and rearwardly to provide a forward drive for the vessel and when the handle 26 is operated to snap the shaft 25 to position the vane as illustrated in Figure 2 and Figure 3, to provide a reverse drive, the vane will be oscillated through an arc of degrees to provide for a reverse drive of the vessel.

In the construction illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the drive shaft 25 may be provided with the vane frames 35 and 37 in the form of V-shaped plates which are secured in any suitable manner to the shaft 25 and at their outer ends support the pins 38 and 39 to which, through the medium of the ears 40, are hingedly connected, the vanes 41 and 42. The shaft 25 also carries midway between the vane frames 36 and 3'7, the V-shaped vane limiting plates 43, the outer ends of whose extended portions are cut out as at 45 to permit free movement of the vanes 41 and 42 through an arc of approximately degrees, it being understood that the movement of the blade or vane 31 will be limited by the cut-out 45 which may be of any degree deemed desirable for the efficient operation of the vane.

In Figure 4, the centerline of the vessel is illustrated and it is quite evident that oscilla tion of the shaft 25 as described in connection with the mechanism illustrated in connection with Figures 1 to 3 will cause oscillation of the frame members 36 and 3'7 through an arc of substantially 90 degrees, although this may be varied if deemed desirable and when one of the vanes 41 is travelling from abeam to aft, the other travels from aft to abeam, thus providing a more continual form of propulsion than is possible with the use of a single blade or vane 31.

In the modified forms of my invention illustrated in Figures 6 and '7, use is made of a vane holder 50 secured to the shaft 25 and arranged to oscillate therewith and arranged to hold a vane shaft 51 upon which the vane blade 52 is mounted for free swinging movement, the movement being limited by the vane stop plate 53 which is secured to the frame 50 and is provided with the forked end 54 to limit the swinging movement of the blade 52. The extended portion 55 of the vane frame 50 is arranged to have journalled therein, the shaft 56 to which is secured the vane 57 whose extended upper and loweredges 58 are positioned between the bifurcated ends 59 of the upper and lower portions of the frame 50.

My invention is not to be restricted to the precise details of construction shown since various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing the advantages derived from its use.

What I claim is:-

1. In a device of the character described, an eccentric drive shaft, means for revolving said shaft, an oscillating propeller shaft, a connector joining said drive and propeller shaft and means in said connector for yieldably permitting change of position of said propeller shaft whereby it may oscillate in different positions.

2. In a device of the character described, a drive shaft, means for revolving said shaft, a pro peller shaft, means for eccentrically connecting both of said shafts whereby the propeller shaft will oscillate, and a compressible means in said connecting means for permitting the propeller shaft to be snapped from one driving position to another.

3. In a device of the character described, a revolving drive shaft, an oscillating propeller shaft,

a driving connector between said shafts, and a yieldable section in said driving connector for permitting the propeller shaft to be snapped from one driving position to another.

4. In a device of the character described, a re volving drive shaft, an oscillating propeller shaft, a yieldable driving connector between said shaft, a driving vane hinged to said propeller shaft to permit the propeller shaft to be moved from one driving position to another, and a member for engaging the vane to limit the swinging movement thereof when the propeller shaft is oscillating.

5. In a device of the character described, a revolving drive shaft, an oscillating propeller shaft,

a driving connector between said shafts, a driving vane hinged to said propeller shaft, a member for engaging the vane to limit the swinging movement thereof when the propeller shaft is oscillating, and a yieldable section in said driving connector for permitting snap movement of the g propeller shaft to position the driving vane for forward or rearward'driving action.

6. In a device of the character described, a revolving drive shaft, an oscillating propeller shaft,

a driving connector between said shafts, a yield- 55- 1 able section in said driving connector for permitting the propeller shaft to snap from one driving position to another, and a handle on the upper end of said propeller shaft whereby said snap movement may be imparted thereto without stopping 3',

the action of the mechanism.

CECIL JOHN NOCK. [L.S.] 

